Many wireless communication devices are able to engage in a half-duplex form of wireless communication, using wireless networks, that is commonly known as “push-to-talk” (PTT) service. PTT service can provide a user experience that is, in many respects, similar to “walkie-talkie” communication with two-way radios.
In a typical implementation, an initiator interacts with a menu on the initiator's device to select a subscriber or group of subscribers as recipients of a PTT audio communication. To initiate a PTT audio communication, the initiator presses and holds a PTT button on the device. In response, the device wirelessly transmits signals to set up the connection. When the connection has been established, the device plays a tone or other readiness signal. At that point, the initiator may begin speaking. The initiator releases the PTT button when finished speaking. The initiator's PTT audio communication is conveyed through the network to the recipients' mobile stations. When a device receives the PTT audio communication, the device will typically generate an incoming audio indication (such as a beeping sound) and then play the initiator's audio message automatically through a speaker. After the initiator's PTT audio communication is played out, a recipient may press a PTT button on the recipient's device and begin speaking to send a responsive PTT audio communication.